Ubuntu 16.04 LTS has announced that it is is now certified on selected Intel NUC Mini PCs and boards. This partnership between Canonical and Intel is designed to "help guide device manufacturer’s and their developers to a smoother path to the development and deployment of IoT devices." Applicable to a range of use cases from digital signage to home entertainment, the Intel NUC certified with Ubuntu helps remove the friction often experienced in bringing IoT devices to market.

The certified Ubuntu image is ready to install on the Intel NUC. Device manufacturers can further enhance the versatility of the Intel NUC by installing applications on to their hardware via snaps enabling new features and functionality. Snaps - the universal Linux application packaging format - can either be installed from the Snap Store or a manufacturer can build and manage their own through snapcraft.io. The addition of snaps to a vendor’s hardware provides a route to ongoing feature updates, security patches, and opens the door to add new functionality leading to additional revenue streams.

Once moved into production and out into the field, the Intel NUC is designed for device manufacturers to benefit from low operational costs and an easy to deploy a fleet of devices. In addition, a small footprint and minimal noise output ensure that the Intel NUC is discreet enough to be hidden away and applied in a variety of different hardware environments. For added assurance, all Intel NUCs are supported with 3 international years warranty and 3 years product availability.